Arbitrary waveform generators (AWGs) generate electrical waveforms. Typically, they function as testing equipment and provide waveforms to devices under test to allow the equipment to evaluate the performance of the device. AWGs can produce any arbitrarily defined wave shape as their output.
Traditionally, AWGs store wave form data in an onboard memory. The AWG outputs the waveform by retrieving the waveform data from memory, and converting to an analog signal by using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Users may design waveform data directly in the AWG, or in an external device such as a computer. The waveforms must then be loaded into the AWG's memory before they can be outputted.
The AWGs cannot read a waveform from memory while simultaneously trying to write a new waveform memory. Therefore, when a write of a new waveform occurs, the AWG output must pause while waveform data is being loaded or updated. This makes it difficult to change waveforms being outputted to the device under test in real time without interrupting the test or having to test small subsets at a time.
Embodiments discussed below address limitations of the present systems.